CAREER SERVICES

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CAREER SERVICES

• THE INTERVIEW
• Welcome to the Show!

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Top 10 Things To Do During an InterviewTo Assure
You Dont Get the Job

• 10. Challenge the interviewer to arm wrestle.
• 9. Wear an IPod, and explain that you can listen
  to the interviewer and the music at the same
  time.
• 8. Bring your lapdog to the interview.
• 7. Use annoying speech habits It was like,
  well, you know like I was interested in this
  position, so I like decided to drop off my
  resume. This position would be like, the
  greatest ever.
•  
• 6. Doze off during interview.

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Top 10 Things To Do During an InterviewTo Assure
You Dont Get the Job
5. Emphasize your ability to use the
photocopier.   4. Set your ringtone to an
obnoxious sound and arrange for it to ring during
the interview.   3. Interrupt interview to
phone your therapist for advice on how to answer
specific interview questions. 2. Explain your
long-term goal is to replace the
interviewer. 1. Ask to see interviewer's resume
to see if they are qualified to judge you as a
candidate.
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Essential Interview Skills

• A Blueprint for Success

(adapted from How to Interview Like You Mean
It, presented by Mr. Donald Asher at the
University of Tennessee)
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• The competition for entry-level positions can be
  fierce.
• In order to stand out, you MUST make a good
  impression in your interview.
• Employers expect you to know your stuff and
  communicate it well.

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Know Yourself

• What do you want to do and where do you want to
  do it?
• What do you have to offer?
• What are your skills, goals and accomplishments?

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Look the Part

• Conservative, well-tailored look in suit, shoes
  and accessories
• Minimal jewelry
• Well-groomed appearance (hair, nails, etc.)
• Minimal use of perfume, cologne or aftershave

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Research the Company and the Job

• Internet
• Company literature
• Library
• Faculty
• Friends
• Current employees

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Answer and Ask the Right ?s

• Anticipate Key Questions.
• Review and practice answering the most commonly
  asked questions.
• Demonstrate interest in the company/position
  through your questions.

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Effective Communication Skills

• What you say must match your body language (your
  verbal and non-verbal communication must
  coincide).
• Verbally, use clear, concise, relevant responses.
• Non-verbally, have good eye contact, good
  posture, appropriate facial expressions and hand
  gestures

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Follow-up (After the Interview)

• Send a note of appreciation, thanking the
  employer and restating your interest in the
  organization.
• You may send both a hard-copy letter and an
  e-mail.

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Interview Donts

• Dont ever be late!
• Dont lie, oversell, or misrepresent yourself.
• Dont dominate or take over the interview.
• Dont initiate discussions of salary and
  benefits.
• Dont try to be funny or entertaining dont joke
  around.

• Dont talk about politics, religion, or socially
  sensitive issues.
• Dont use slang.
• Dont wear strong scents or too much jewelry.
• Dont whine or talk in negative terms about other
  people, employers, or college.
• Dont worry so much!

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STAR Interview Technique

• Situation or
• Task
• Action you took
• Results you achieved

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SITUATION or TASK

• Describe the situation you were in or the task
  you needed to accomplish. You must describe a
  specific situation, not a generalized description
  of a past job or experience. Be sure to give
  enough detail for the interviewer to understand.
  The situation can be from a past job, volunteer
  experience, or any relevant event.
• Example Advertising revenue was falling off for
  the college newspaper and many long-term
  advertisers were not renewing their contracts.

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ACTION

• Describe the action you took and be sure to keep
  the focus on you. Even if you are discussing a
  group project, describe what you specifically did
  not the efforts of the team.
• Example I designed a new promotional packet to
  go with the rate sheet and compared the benefits
  of the college newspaper with other ad media in
  the area. I also set up a special training
  session for the account executives with a School
  of Business professor who discussed competitive
  selling strategies.

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RESULTS

• What happened? How did the event end? What did
  you accomplish? What did you learn? Quantities in
  the form of specific numbers and percentages are
  always good.
• Example We signed contracts with 15 former
  advertisers for weekly ads and five for special
  supplements. We increased our new advertisers by
  20 percent over the previous semesters number.

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The Interviewer is not the only one who should
ask questions.

• After being grilled by an interviewer for 30
  minutes or more, quite often you hear, Do you
  have any questions for me? This time can be as
  crucial to your interview as the 30 minutes
  before. The questions you ask are just as
  critical as the responses you have already given.
• This is your chance to evaluate the job and the
  organization to find out whether they are a good
  fit for you. It is also your opportunity to leave
  no doubt in the interviewers mind that you are
  the right one for the position.
• However, asking thoughtful, intelligent questions
  requires advanced preparation from you.

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Know the purpose of asking questions

• It demonstrates that you have done your homework
  and are prepared for the interview reflects
  your level of interest.
• It allows you to learn more about the position
  and organization. This can help you determine if
  the job/company is right for you.
• It gives you the opportunity to further sell
  yourself and your qualifications by gathering
  information from the interviewer. After
  listening to the interviewers response to your
  questions you can follow-up with how you can help
  them meet their needs.

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Know how to ask questions

• Ask questions that are of genuine interest to you
  and will help you make a well-informed decision.
• Ask questions that show the depth of your
  research and preparation. Do not ask questions
  that could easily be answered by the companys
  website or by reading the job description.
• Do not ask questions about salary or benefits
  until you are offered a job. Such questions can
  make an interviewer question your motivation and
  priorities.
• Tailor your questions to the interviewer. A human
  resources director may not be able to answer the
  questions about the day-to-day functions of the
  job that a manager or supervisor can.
• Ask questions throughout the interview. Do not
  take over the lead, but do not feel you have to
  wait until the end to ask a question. If the
  interviewer is discussing an aspect of the job
  that sparks a question or if you need
  clarification, ask then. You may forget by the
  time you reach the end of the interview.

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Know what questions to ask

• Make a list of the information you need to learn
  about the position and the company. Prepare at
  least 5 good questions. Prioritize your
  questions, write them down and take them with you
  to the interview.
• Consider questions that cover the broad scope of
  the organization as well as the specific details
  of the job.
• Review a list of sample questions and use/adapt
  them to help come up with questions of your own.

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Sample Questions

• Can you tell me about the primary people with
  whom I would be dealing?
• What do you see ahead for the company in the next
  five years?
• What additional training might be necessary for
  this position?
• How would you describe your management
  style/philosophy?
• When do you expect to make a hiring decision for
  this position?

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Closing

• Be sure to thank the interviewer for their time.
• Restate your sincere interest in the position and
  why.
• Follow-up with a thank you letter/e-mail.